When was the last time you heard of a convicted felon receiving $104 million from the government? If your answer was never, that changes today as former bank executive Bradley Birkenfeld is getting a huge monetary reward for his actions in a recent whistle-blowing case.
Birkenfeld, a former employee of UBS, helped expose illegal ways in which the bank enabled its clients to hide their money over-seas. Birkenfeld went to jail after confessing his part in these illegal activities and aided federal investigators in stopping others like himself.
Birkenfeld is receiving a reward of $104 million, but it is estimated by the LA Times that he recovered more than $5 billion dollars worth in taxes for the US government.